A pirate is a criminal who acts on the high seas.
Pirate is a term that has had various meanings throughout history . The traditional meaning of this word, originating in the Latin pirate, is associated with the individual dedicated to carrying out robberies and kidnappings on boats . Pirates, therefore, are criminals who operate on the high seas and board ships for criminal purposes.
For example: "The pirates took advantage of the captain's carelessness to jump overboard and take everyone as prisoners" , "In ancient times, ships that dared to sail these seas used to be attacked by pirates" , "They say that the founder From this town he was a terrible pirate of the 18th century .
Ancient and current pirates
Ancient pirates constituted a great danger to States since navigation was the most common means of transportation to bridge long distances and reach other continents. The cargoes of the ships that crossed the oceans were very precious treasures for these criminals.
A pirate who went down in history was Edward Teach , popularly known as Black Beard . Before becoming a "terror of the high seas" after the War of the Spanish Succession , he worked as a sailor. Of his attacks, the one in Charleston , South Carolina , in 1718 is especially remembered, and his alliance with the governor of North Carolina is also known, which allowed him to commit crimes freely in exchange for sharing the loot. Black Beard died in the middle of a confrontation with Robert Maynard 's troops.
Although the idea of a pirate is usually associated with a male figure , we must not forget the passage of Anne Bonny through history, a female pirate born in Ireland who did her bit to make the life of 18th century sailors a better life. so much less simple than they would have liked. She is one of only two women who were accused of activities of this type in her time, called the "golden age " of piracy.
Currently, the actions of pirates are limited to certain areas of Africa and Asia . Their attack modalities, of course, have been updated and are far from resembling the actions immortalized in movies and books, where pirates are usually characterized with wooden legs, an eye patch, etc.
Pirates had great relevance in ancient times.
A computer criminal
Today, the idea of a pirate is associated with a computer criminal who infiltrates security systems or accesses other people's computers . The term is also used as an adjective to name something counterfeit, clandestine or illegal : «The authorities announced the capture of the pirate who stole the data of thousands of credit cards» , «A pirated copy of the new Aerosmith album is already circulating on the Internet » .
Piracy is a disastrous phenomenon that proliferates in many countries despite many awareness campaigns. Copying a product without authorization and then selling it is a criminal act condemned by law, but this does not stop the many people who profit from this business, nor the consumers who choose to steal art, computer programs and video games, among others. other of the most common options.
The pirated copy is not always perfect; Thanks to the possibilities offered by the Internet , companies often have the necessary resources to block its use or to prevent its 100% use. On the other hand, it is not at all tempting for collectors. Anyway, the main point is that piracy harms each and every individual involved in a creation, and there is no argument that justifies it.
Pirate in Argentina
In Argentina , finally, a pirate is a man who usually cheats on his partner to be with other women or go out partying with his friends.
"Manuel is a pirate who always lies to his wife to go to the disco" is an expression that shows this meaning.